Around Town

MassDOT Moving Toward Electric Tolling, Demolishing Toll Booths

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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Board acted Monday to move ahead with plans to completely demolish Interstate 90 toll plazas by the end of 2017 as a milestone in the state’s progress toward All Electronic Tolling (AET) along Interstate 90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike), the Tobin Bridge, and Boston tunnels, the DOT announced. At today’s Board meeting, MassDOT announced that AET will “go live” on October 28. The Board approved toll demolition contracts, reviewed data security and retention proposals and instructed MassDOT to proceed with public hearings on proposed toll rates designed to be revenue neutral and minimize changes in toll charges for current commuters. “The AET system will improve driver convenience and safety and reduce greenhouse gas-causing vehicle emissions,” said MassDOT Highway Administrator Thomas J. Tinlin. “When toll booths have been removed, AET will allow drivers to maintain regular highway speed as they pass under AET gantries, eliminating the need for drivers to sharply reduce speed and idle in toll booth lines.”

The Board-approved contracts provide that tolls booths will begin to be demolished as soon as AET goes live and all work to remove toll plazas and reconstruct roadways is to be completed by the end of 2017.

Police/Fire

Watertown Man Killed When Hit by Car on Mass Pike

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A Watertown man was struck and killed by a car after he was in a separate accident on the Mass. Turnpike. 

Arkloo Wong, 81, of Watertown was involved in a collision with another driver near the Allston-Brighton Tolls on the westbound side of the Pike late Friday night. He exited his car to speak with the other driver and a car driven by a 30-year-old Brighton man hit Wong. Wong was pronounced dead at the scene and Coury was taken to hospital for treatment. No charges have been filed but the accident remains under investigation.